A Deviance From God's Norm

Our society has the responsibility and the right to discourage the practice of homosexuality.

Recently, Senator Rick Santorum was attacked by the liberal media, politicians, and pro-homosexual groups for comments he made about a case being argued currently before the US Supreme Court.

The plaintiff in this case, who was arrested by Houston sheriff's deputies and fined for engaging in homosexual behavior outlawed in Texas, is attempting to have Texas' anti-sodomy law ruled unconstitutional. When asked by an Associated Press reporter to state his opinion about homosexual behavior, Mr. Santorum referred to the Supreme Court case and commented that activities like sodomy, 'undermine the basic tenets of our society and the family.'

In return for stating his honest opinion Mr. Santorum has been subjected to an endless, venomous diatribe. Liberals and pro-homosexual groups have decided that Mr. Santorum is bigoted and intolerant and no longer worthy material for Senate leadership. The treatment Mr. Santorum has endured for stating his opinion--which by the way, is the opinion of the vast majority of Americans-- serves as a vivid reminder of the tactics of his attackers.

Because the homosexual rights groups have been unable to persuade the majority of Americans that homosexuality is good for us, they have resorted to attacking anyone who speaks the majority opinion. In so doing the gay thought police have revealed themselves for what they really are--bullies who threaten and intimidate those who dare to speak out against them.

We must ask who the real bigots are here. In America, speaking one's mind is a Constitutionally-protected right. The real bigots are those who label anyone who disagrees with them as bigoted and intolerant and attack them for sharing their beliefs. Mr. Santorum has not called for anyone's resignation or dismissal. His detractors have. Once again, the homosexual-rights groups have revealed that they are the real bigots.

Our society has the responsibility and the right to discourage the practice of homosexuality. The Judeo-Christian teaching on this is clear. Homosexuality is a deviance from God's norm. It is neither normal nor healthy behavior. Lest anyone think that this theological position is merely sectarian, it is important to note that even the renowned theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg concluded that when the church has "ceased to treat homosexual activity as a departure from the biblical norm" it "would no longer stand on biblical ground but against the unequivocal witness of Scripture" and "would thereby have ceased to be one, holy, catholic, and apostolic."

Furthermore, any attempt to equate homosexuality with race or ethnicity should offend all of us. There is no evidence that homosexuality is an inborn trait, in spite of numerous efforts to prove the contrary. Homosexuality has many contributing causes, but it is obviously not to be equated with race or ethnicity. A person's ethnicity is what one is, whereas homosexual behavior is what one does.

As Christians, we will continue to support politicians who speak out against homosexuality and to oppose those who support special rights for homosexuals and who seek to support societal approval of homosexual behavior. I applaud Mr. Santorum for courageously sharing his beliefs. We hope other politicians will be emboldened by his stand to hold firm to their convictions about the immorality of homosexual behavior and resist the bullying and intimidation tactics of radical homosexual-rights groups.